Interior rearview mirror assembly with full screen video display

ABSTRACT

A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly includes a mirror head pivotable about a mirror support, which is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle. The mirror head includes a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element having a transflective mirror reflector that at least partially reflects light incident thereon and at least partially transmits incident light therethrough. A video display device is disposed behind a reflective region of the mirror reflective element and includes a display screen backlit by a backlighting device, which includes a plurality of micro-LEDs disposed at electrically conductive traces of a flexible circuit element. With the mirror support attached at the interior portion of the vehicle, the video display device is operable to display video images captured by a camera of the vehicle, whereby light emitted by the video display device passes through the mirror reflective element for viewing displayed video images.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 16/640,750, filed Feb. 21, 2020, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,110,864,which is a 371 national phase filing of PCT Application No.PCT/US2018/047675, filed Aug. 23, 2018, which claims the filing benefitsof U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/549,101, filed Aug. 23,2017, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to the field of interiorrearview mirror assemblies for vehicles and, more particularly, tointerior rearview mirror assemblies with a display.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are known in automotiveapplications, including, for example, display screen backlighting orother interior or exterior lighting applications, such as described inU.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755; 7,338,177; 7,195,381 and/or 6,690,268, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.Such applications can encounter challenges with lighting uniformity,cost, heat load, current draw and application.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides improved vehicular lighting usingmicro-LEDS and provides improved LED backlighting for vehicularinformation display screens used to display the likes of video imagesand other information for viewing and use by a driver or occupant of anequipped vehicle. For example, the present invention provides aninterior rearview mirror assembly that includes a mirror casing, amirror reflective element and a display device disposed behind themirror reflective element and operable to display information forviewing by the driver of the vehicle through the interior mirrorreflective element. The interior mirror reflective element comprises atransflective mirror reflector whereby the mirror reflector reflectslight that is incident on the reflective element and partially transmitsillumination emitted from the display device through the mirrorreflective element. The display screen or display area of the displaydevice preferably encompasses or spans the height and width of themirror reflective element and thus provides a full display mirror. Thedisplay device comprises a display screen (such as a thin filmtransistor (TFT) display screen) that is backlit by a plurality of microlight emitting diodes (micro-LEDs), which may be arranged in a twodimensional close-packed array on a flexible printed circuit substrateor on a rigid printed circuit substrate or on a flexible circuitsubstrate attached or laminated to a rigid substrate/stiffening element.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an interior rearview mirror assembly inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the interior rearview mirror assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of an interior rearview mirrorassembly with a backlit TFT display;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of an interior rearview mirrorassembly with a micro-LED backlit TFT display in accordance with thepresent invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic showing the manufacturing system for a micro-LEDbacklight of the full mirror display of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a view of a tail light assembly for a vehicle, with flexiblecircuit micro-LED light sources that provide red light, amber light andwhite light, respectively.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, an interior rearview mirror assembly 10 for a vehicle includesa casing 12 that houses a reflective element 14 and a display device 16,which provides a display area 15 visible to the driver of the vehiclethrough the reflective element 14 (FIGS. 1 and 2). In the illustratedembodiment, the mirror assembly 10 is configured to be adjustablymounted to an interior portion of a vehicle (such as to an interior orin-cabin surface of a vehicle windshield or a headliner of a vehicle orthe like) via a mounting structure or mounting configuration or assembly18. The casing 12 of the interior rearview mirror assembly 10 may houseall or a portion of the components of the interior rearview mirrorassembly 10 and may be integrally formed with portions thereof.

The principal or main viewing area of the mirror reflector of the fulldisplay video mirror has the same or slightly better field of view of atypical interior rearview mirror (which typically has a minimum of about20 degrees field of view). The video images shown to a driver of thevehicle viewing the video display screen of the interior rearview mirrorare preferably at unit magnification and thus appear the same to thedriver as would reflected images appear at a conventional interiorrearview mirror. For example, the video mirror may be provided with avideo feed of image data captured by a rearward viewing camera (such asby utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. No.9,041,806, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety). The video mirror may be constructed in accordance with theconstructions described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755 and/or 6,690,268,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The rearward viewing camera captures image data of a left end zone, aright end zone and a middle zone (between the left and right zones andrearward of the vehicle). The system displays the middle zone at themirror video display screen at unit magnification, and may displayimages representative of the left and right end zones as wide angleviews of the wings or regions rearward and to the respective sides ofthe equipped vehicle. The left and right end zones may be delineated bya divider overlay that is electronically generated and is superimposedon the real-time video images being displayed at the mirror videoscreen. Those end zones can display a wide-angle view so that a greaterhorizontal and/or vertical field of view can be seen. This would besimilar to a convex or aspheric or “flat to bent” reflector.

In such a manner, the field of view, particularly provided by the endzones, can supplement and extend beyond the fields of view of the driverand passenger side exterior rearview mirrors at the driver and passengersides of the vehicle to reduce/eliminate blind zones between theexterior rearview mirror(s) view and the interior rearview mirror view.Also, those end zones may have different display modes, such as, forexample, a “trailering mode” or the like, where the end zones can showthe edges of the road being travelled along by the equipped vehicle(with overlay of car edges or actual edges) or the edges of the trafficlane being travelled along by the equipped vehicle (with overlay of laneedges or actual edges) so at a glance the driver can see how theequipped vehicle is centered in the lane/on the road and the vehicle canbe guided so the vehicle and the trailer are centered on the lane orroad. Other cameras of the vehicle could feed image data to the systemfor a trailering situation, such as cameras mounted at the side of theequipped vehicle and preferably exterior mirror-mounted cameras used forthe likes of birds-eye surround view features such as described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 9,900,522; 9,834,153; 9,762,880 and/or 9,126,525, and/or U.S.Publication Nos. US-2015-0022664; US-2014-0340510 and/orUS-2012-0162427, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The display may include a “1:1 mode”/unitmagnification that can turn off the dividers if that is annoying to somedrivers. The mirror assembly and video display device may utilizeaspects of the assemblies and devices described in U.S. Pat. No.7,855,755 and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2017-0355312 and/orUS-2016-0375833, and/or U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/910,084,filed Mar. 2, 2018, and/or International Publication No. WO 2017/191558,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

The interior mirror reflective element 14 of the interior rearviewmirror assembly 10 may comprise an electro-optic mirror reflectiveelement (such as, for example, an electrochromic mirror reflectiveelement) and the display device 16 is disposed at a rear surface of theelectro-optic mirror reflective element for emitting illumination anddisplaying images and/or other information at the display area 15through the mirror reflective element for viewing by a driver of theequipped vehicle who views the mirror reflective element. In theillustrated embodiment, the display area 15 encompasses substantiallyall of the reflective element 14, such that the display area 15 issubstantially the same size as the visible reflective surface. Forexample, the display area 15 may occupy at least 75 percent of the areaof the visible reflective surface of the reflective element (or theelectro-optically active region of the reflective element), preferablyat least 85 percent of the area of the visible reflective surface of thereflective element, and more preferably at least 95 percent of the areaof the visible reflective surface of the reflective element. The displaydevice 16 is disposed at the rear surface of the electro-optic mirrorreflective element 14, with a mirror reflector film or layer disposed atthe front surface of the rear substrate (commonly referred to as thethird surface of the reflective element) and opposing an electro-opticmedium, such as an electrochromic medium disposed between the front andrear substrates and bounded by a perimeter seal. Optionally, the mirrorreflector could be disposed at the rear surface of the rear substrate(commonly referred to as the fourth surface of the reflective element),while remaining within the spirit and scope of the present invention.

The mirror reflector comprises a transflective mirror reflector andprovides a substantially reflective layer at the display area 15, whilebeing at least partially transmissive of light or illumination emittedby display device 16, as discussed below. The transflective mirrorreflector is partially transmissive of visible light therethrough andpartially reflective of visible light incident thereon and, thus, thepresence of the video display device behind the reflective element isrendered covert by the transflective mirror reflector and informationdisplayed by the video display device is only viewable through themirror reflector and reflective element when the video display device isactivated or backlit to display such images and/or information forviewing by the driver of the vehicle when the driver is normallyoperating the vehicle.

In the illustrated embodiment, the display device comprises a displaymodule having a display screen (such as a multi-pixel LCD panel/screenbacklit by a plurality of micro-LEDs) and a circuit element (such as aprinted circuit board or the like, such as a silicon substrate havingcircuitry established thereon) disposed at the rear of the displayscreen. The circuit element or substrate has circuitry establishedthereat (such as by establishing the circuitry at or on a substrateusing CMOS technology or the like), and such circuitry may be configuredfor controlling the display functions and/or for controlling the dimmingor variable reflectance of the reflective element.

The display device 16 includes a substrate, with the circuitryassociated with the display preferably disposed at a flexible printedcircuit (FPC) on a flexible polymeric film, such as a PET (polyethyleneterephthalate) or MYLAR or Polyimide film (alternatively, it can be onan FR4 rigid PCB or an aluminum-clad rigid substrate/board orcopper-clad rigid substrate/board). The PET film (or other suitablematerial) may have a thickness of between around 75 microns and 200microns, such as, for example, about 150 microns, and is flexible and atleast partially conformable to curved surfaces/bodies. The circuitryincludes display power supply components and display driver integratedcircuit (IC) and other circuitry associated with powering andcontrolling or reconfiguring the display device. Optionally, thecircuitry may be disposed at a flexible printed circuit board or at arigid printed circuit board (such as, for example, at a flexible circuitboard with or without a stiffener or stiffening element).

For example, the reflective element may have a front glass substrate anda rear glass substrate, with the front glass substrate extendingdownward (beyond a lower perimeter region of the rear glass substrate)so as to provide an overhang region at the lower portion of thereflective element at the central lower region of the display glass(such as by utilizing aspects of the mirror assemblies described in U.S.Pat. Nos. 7,255,451; 7,289,037; 7,360,932; 8,049,640; 8,277,059;8,529,108; 8,508,831; 8,730,553; 9,174,578; 9,346,403 and/or 9,598,016,which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties).The reflective element is nested in the mirror housing or casing withthe display device disposed behind the reflective element and in themirror casing. The TFT connector may be routed below the FPC substrateand a heat sink and within the mirror casing, where it can beelectrically connected to circuitry of the mirror assembly or to a wireharness or the like for electrically powering the video display device.

The display device comprises a micro-LED display device that includes atwo dimensional close-packed array of micro-LEDs disposed at a circuitelement or substrate or board. For example, the micro-LEDs may bedisposed at a flexible circuit substrate or element (or at a rigidcircuit board or element). Each micro-LED has a width or lengthdimension smaller than 500 microns and preferably has no width or lengthdimension smaller than 75 microns. For example, the micro-LEDs maycomprise 100 micron×200 micron micro-LEDs, or may comprise 150micron×300 micron micro-LEDs or may comprise 300×500 micron (or smaller)micro-LEDs, and may be disposed, for example, at 0.2 mm thick printedsilver electrically-conducting traces on a circuit board or substrate(or optionally at copper traces on a flexible or rigid circuit board orsubstrate) or at wider or narrower electrically-conducting traces.Typically, small known non-micro LEDs are around 600 microns×1000microns or larger.

The micro-LEDs may be disposed at the substrate at about 300 micronspacing (or smaller), which close packing provides greater brightnessand more uniform brightness as compared to known non-micro LED displays.For example, the micro-LED array for video mirror reflective element 14may comprise up to 1,600 micro-LEDs (or more) arranged at the circuitboard or element or substrate. Using micro-LEDS, more than 1,300micro-LEDs (such as, for example, 1,344 micro-LEDs) may be disposed at acircuit substrate having an area of around 8,500 mm². Such close-packedmicro-LEDs function to eliminate lighting intensity hotspots and provideuniform lighting that may operate at a lower current draw (and henceless heat generation) and at a higher light output efficiency (Luminanceper Watt). Packing density for the micro-LEDs is preferably at least 10micro-LEDs per square centimeter of substrate surface area, morepreferably at least 20 micro-LEDs per square centimeter of substratesurface area, and most preferably at least 30 micro-LEDs per squarecentimeter of substrate surface area. Use of the micro-LED display mayalso allow for reduced usage of diffuse and light directing films tofurther increase backlight transmission through mirror reflectiveelement 14 by up to about 20 percent or more (with at least about a 20percent reduction in heat generated by the backlighting when operating).The micro-LED display allows for parallel connection of the micro-LEDsand/or series connection of the micro-LEDs (or a combination of both)and provides uniform output intensity and color. The micro-LED displaymay comprise a flex polyimide carrier that folds around an aluminumcore.

Suitable micro-LEDs are available from the likes of Seoul SemiconductorCompany LTD (of Ansan, South Korea) or EPISTAR Corporation (of Taiwan),and may be established at a substrate using techniques developed byRohinni LLC of Coeur d'Alene, Id. Such micro-LEDs may be put down orestablished or dot-printed as a blue die (3V forward voltage, 1.4 mAcurrent typical), a red die (2V forward voltage, 1.5 mA currenttypical), and a green die (2V forward voltage, 1.5 mA current typical).All of the micro-LEDs may be powered together for backlighting thedisplay screen. When red micro-LEDs and blue micro-LEDs and greenmicro-LEDs are used on the same substrate, all red micro-LEDs can beelectrically powered and all blue micro-LEDs can be electrically poweredseparately and all green micro-LEDs can be electrically poweredseparately. Examples of micro-LEDs suitable for use in embodiments ofthis present invention are described in U.S. Publication Nos.US-2017-0053901 and/or US-2016-0276195, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. Current passed by eachindividual micro-LED when operated in embodiments of this presentinvention is preferably greater than 0.75 mA and less than 4 mA, morepreferably is greater than 1 mA and less than 2.5 mA, and mostpreferably is greater than 1.25 mA and less than 1.75 mA.

Optionally, and desirably, the display screen of the video mirrorreflective element 14 may be backlit by a plurality of blue diemicro-LEDs, which may be overcoated with a phosphor conversion film,such as available from PhosphorTech Corporation of Kennesaw, Ga., suchthat the blue light phosphorizes in it and comes out as white light.

Because most of the depth of the display device is driven by thebacklight thickness, a significant depth reduction can be achieved byreducing the thickness of the backlight. As can be seen by comparingFIG. 3 with FIG. 4, the micro-LED board (FIG. 4) of the display deviceof the mirror assembly of the present invention allows for reduction ofan air gap to no more than 3 mm, preferably less than 2.5 mm (and nosmaller than about 0.5 mm), and may allow for elimination ofreflector/diffuser films used in conjunction with backlighting, and thusallows for elimination of one or two films or layers of the film stackat the TFT display.

For the interior rearview mirror assembly 10 that includes the videoscreen element 14, an array of at least around 1,600 blue micro-LEDs hasa phosphor conversion film disposed thereover, so that white lightbacklighting is provided at the video screen element. Thus, the presentinvention provides a full mirror display having reduced thickness andbrighter output and enhanced uniformity of the backlighting, withreduced current draw and heat dissipation. The display thus may have areduced thickness and reduced volume as compared to conventionaldisplays and may operate with substantially reduced power consumption ascompared to conventional displays.

The display device is operable to display video images captured by arearward viewing camera, such as a camera mounted at a rear, front, sideor roof exterior portion of the vehicle or that views from the interiorcabin through a rear window of the vehicle so as to have a rearwardfield of view rearward and at least partially sideward of the vehicle.The camera may capture images during normal operation of the vehicle,such as when the driver of the vehicle drives the vehicle forwardlyalong a road. Video images are displayed by the display device duringsuch normal operation, such as to provide enhanced rearward viewing thatencompasses regions not viewable to a driver of a vehicle viewing aconventional interior rearview mirror assembly. The display device mayalso display other information to the driver, such as advanced driverassistance system (ADAS) information or the like, such as via text orimages or icons or indicia displayed at or over or instead of the videoimages, depending on the particular situation and desired displayappearance. Optionally, the system may determine that the mirror head isnot adjusted for proper rearward viewing or for viewing of displayedimages, and the display device may display a message (such as text orindicia or the like) to alert the driver to adjust the angle of themirror head for optimum or enhanced viewing by the driver.

Although shown and described as being part of a display device of aninterior rearview mirror assembly, aspects of the backlighting deviceand display of the present invention are suitable for other vehicleapplications. For example, and such as shown in FIG. 6, a micro-LEDarray of light emitting diodes may be disposed at a flexible circuitelement, which may be cut or formed to provide various lightingfunctions, such as a brake light, a rear backup light, and/or a turnsignal indicator, and/or map lighting and/or accent or mood lighting.Optionally, such a micro-LED light array may be disposed at an exteriorrearview mirror assembly to provide a turn signal indicator, groundillumination or the like. Such a micro-LED array light source or deviceallows for a lower profile lighting assembly and provides for optionalshapes and styling of the vehicle light assemblies. Optionally, such amicro-LED light array may be disposed at an interior rearview mirrorassembly to provide map lighting.

For example, the entire light assembly may be around 1-3 mm thick, witha Poly-methyl-methacrylate (PMMA) outer injection molded or thermoformedshape. The LED array or sheet may be laminated with the driver circuitintegrated thereat. The LED array or sheet may be made flat and foldedor thermoformed to the desired shape. For example, the PMMA inside maybe printed with graphics, metallized, or the like for the desiredstyling and/or color. The micro-LEDs may only be visible when activated(whereby the outer casing of the light assembly may hide the micro-LEDsfrom view when not activated or energized. Optionally, the micro-LEDflex circuit insert may be molded into a part, and the part may bemetallized or have a graphic print or mask through painting.

Optionally, the micro-LEDs may comprise colored micro-LEDs (such as red,green and blue micro-LEDs) mounted at a flexible circuit to provide acolor display. The micro-LED array may be laminated or insert moldedinto a product. Optionally, the micro-LED array may provide a curvedliquid crystal display or may be three dimensionally shaped. Optionally,the display or graphic that is backlit by the micro-LED array maycomprise a printed graphic film, with the micro-LEDs surface mountedthereat, and may include sensors (such as capacitive sensors or touchsensors or the like) and/or antennas established thereat.

Thus, the mirror display or automotive lighting device of the presentinvention provides a high density micro-LED light source on a flexiblesubstrate. The device may be pixelated, and provides the potential topixelate RGB micro-LEDs for a display. The closely spaced micro-LEDsoperate in a similar manner as known larger OLEDs, but may provide moreuniform lighting and greater efficiency and reduced heat and reducedcost.

The present invention thus provides a backlighting micro-LED board for afull mirror display at an interior rearview mirror assembly of avehicle. This would replace the standard FR4 and micro-LED board with amuch larger number of micro-LEDs providing the benefits discussed above.Optionally, there are other applications as well for exterior rearviewmirrors and door handles, such as, for example, video mirror backlights(providing thinner, improved uniformity and efficiency of the system),turn signals indicators (at exterior rearview mirrors, providing someunique aesthetics), blind zone indicators (BZIs, allowing for thinnermodules), door handle strip lights, and/or trailer-tow mirror clearancelamps and/or the like.

The micro-LED lighting device of the present invention is suitable forvarious automotive lighting applications, including, for example,display screen backlighting [such as by utilizing aspects of the systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,487,144; 7,855,755; 7,338,177; 7,195,381and/or 6,690,268 (which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties)], blind zone indication [such as by utilizing aspectsof the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,659,498; 7,581,859 and/or6,919,796 (which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties)], exterior mirror lighting [such as by utilizing aspects ofthe systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,764,256; 8,696,179; 8,058,977;7,944,371 (which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties)], interior mirror lighting [such as by utilizing aspects ofthe systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,195,381 and/or 6,690,268(which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties)], exterior lighting [such as by utilizing aspects of thesystems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,290,970; 8,786,401; 8,376,595;8,333,492; 8,142,059 and/or 6,445,287 (which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties)] and interior cabin lighting[such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos.9,280,202; 9,126,525; 8,367,844; 6,568,839; 6,416,208; 6,280,069;6,276,821; 6,176,602; 6,152,590; 6,149,287; 6,139,172; 6,086,229;5,938,321; 5,671,996 and/or 5,497,305, and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2017-0217367 (which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties)].

The display device may be disposed behind an electro-optic reflectiveelement and is operable to display images and information for viewing bythe driver of the vehicle through the transflective mirror reflectorcoating. The display area of the display screen is sized tosubstantially encompass the electro-optically active region (the regionbounded by the perimeter seal) of the mirror reflective element. Thedisplay device may utilize aspects of the display-on-demandtransflective type displays and/or video displays or display screens ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,890,955; 7,855,755; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 7,046,448; 5,668,663;5,724,187; 5,530,240; 6,329,925; 6,690,268; 7,734,392; 7,370,983;6,902,284; 6,428,172; 6,420,975; 5,416,313; 5,285,060; 5,193,029 and/or4,793,690, and/or in U.S. Pat. Pub. Nos. US-2006-0050018;US-2009-0015736; US-2009-0015736 and/or US-2010-0097469, which are allhereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

As discussed above, the mirror assembly may comprise an electro-optic orelectrochromic mirror assembly that includes an electro-optic orelectrochromic reflective element. The perimeter edges of the reflectiveelement may be encased or encompassed by the perimeter element orportion of the bezel portion to conceal and contain and envelop theperimeter edges of the substrates and the perimeter seal disposedtherebetween. The electrochromic mirror element of the electrochromicmirror assembly may utilize the principles disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190;6,690,268; 5,140,455; 5,151,816; 6,178,034; 6,154,306; 6,002,544;5,567,360; 5,525,264; 5,610,756; 5,406,414; 5,253,109; 5,076,673;5,073,012; 5,117,346; 5,724,187; 5,668,663; 5,910,854; 5,142,407 and/or4,712,879, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Although shown as an electrochromic mirror application, it is envisionedthat the mirror assembly may comprise a prismatic or flat glassreflective element, while remaining within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention. For example, the full display mirror may comprise afixed reflectance or non-electro-optic reflective element, such as aflat or planar glass reflective element or the like, with atransflective mirror reflector disposed at a rear surface of thereflective element. The reflective element may comprise a thin chromelayer and may comprise a dielectric mirror that is transparent andreflective, such as, for example, at least about 35 percent reflective(such as, for example, about 42 percent reflective or thereabouts).Optionally, the second surface of the LCD display screen may comprise areflector to enhance reflectance of the mirror reflective element.Optionally, the front glass at the LCD display screen may compriseGorilla glass or other suitably durable and thin and strong glasssubstrate.

By being disposed on a flexible polymeric substrate, micro-LED lightingmay be provided on a curved or non-planar surface, such as by conformingthe micro-LED flexible film to that curved surface, preferably usingtechniques such as thermal forming or vacuum bagging with thermalassistance to achieve conformance or the like. For example, lighting maybe applied at the outside surface of a plastic mirror casing for anexterior mirror or at a surface of an interior or exterior door handleof a vehicle or the like.

Optionally, for example, the reflective element may comprise a prismaticreflective element, and the prismatic mirror assembly may be mounted orattached at an interior portion of a vehicle (such as at an interiorsurface of a vehicle windshield) via any suitable mounting means, andthe reflective element may be toggled or flipped or adjusted between itsdaytime reflectivity position and its nighttime reflectivity positionvia any suitable toggle means, such as by utilizing aspects of themirror assemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,318,870 and/or7,249,860, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2010-0085653, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Optionally, forexample, the interior rearview mirror assembly may comprise a prismaticmirror assembly, such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos.7,420,756; 7,289,037; 7,274,501; 7,249,860; 7,338,177 7,255,451;7,289,037; 7,249,860; 6,318,870; 6,598,980; 5,327,288; 4,948,242;4,826,289; 4,436,371 and/or 4,435,042, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. A variety of mirror accessoriesand constructions are known in the art, such as those disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,555,136; 5,582,383; 5,680,263; 5,984,482; 6,227,675;6,229,319 and/or 6,315,421 (which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), that can benefit from the presentinvention.

Aspects of the display device and mirror reflective element constructionof the present invention may also be used in video mirrors such as thosedescribed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,057,875 and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2014-0347488, which are hereby incorporated by reference herein intheir entireties. In such video mirrors that utilize a full-screen ornear full-screen video display, an actuator device may be adjustable totilt a mirrored glass element in one direction, thereby moving themirrored glass element to an off-axis position which approximatelysimultaneously changes the on/off state of a video display module. Theactuator device is also adjustable to tilt the glass element in anotherdirection, thereby moving the glass element to an on-axis position whichapproximately simultaneously changes the on/off state of the displaymodule. The mirror assembly and display and adjustment may utilizeaspects of the mirror assemblies described in U.S. Pat. No. 9,205,780,which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

The mirror assembly may comprise any suitable construction, such as, forexample, a mirror assembly with the reflective element being nested inthe mirror casing and with a bezel portion that circumscribes aperimeter region of the front surface of the reflective element, or withthe mirror casing having a curved or beveled perimeter edge around thereflective element and with no overlap onto the front surface of thereflective element (such as by utilizing aspects of the mirrorassemblies described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451; 7,289,037; 7,360,932;8,049,640; 8,277,059 and/or 8,529,108, or such as a mirror assemblyhaving a rear substrate of an electro-optic or electrochromic reflectiveelement nested in the mirror casing, and with the front substrate havingcurved or beveled perimeter edges, or such as a mirror assembly having aprismatic reflective element that is disposed at an outer perimeter edgeof the mirror casing and with the prismatic substrate having curved orbeveled perimeter edges, such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,508,831;8,730,553; 9,598,016 and/or 9,346,403, and/or U.S. Publication Nos.US-2014-0313563 and/or US-2015-0097955, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties (and with electrochromic andprismatic mirrors of such construction are commercially available fromthe assignee of this application under the trade name INFINITY™ mirror).

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments maybe carried out without departing from the principles of the presentinvention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of theappended claims as interpreted according to the principles of patentlaw.

The invention claimed is:
 1. A vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly, said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising: amirror head pivotable about a mirror support; wherein said mirrorsupport is configured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicleequipped with said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly; whereinsaid mirror head comprises a mirror casing and a mirror reflectiveelement having a transflective mirror reflector that at least partiallyreflects light incident thereon and at least partially transmitsincident light therethrough; wherein said mirror reflective elementcomprises a reflective region defined by said transflective mirrorreflector that is viewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewingsaid mirror reflective element; a video display device disposed behindsaid mirror reflective element, wherein said video display devicecomprises a display screen that occupies at least 75 percent of saidreflective region of said mirror reflective element; wherein saiddisplay screen is backlit by a backlighting device, and wherein saidbacklighting device comprises a plurality of micro-LEDs disposed at aflexible circuit element; wherein said micro-LEDs are disposed atelectrically conductive traces of said flexible circuit element; whereina width dimension of individual micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs is less than 500 microns, and wherein a length dimension ofindividual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs is less than 500microns; wherein packing density of micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs at said flexible circuit element is at least 10 micro-LEDsper square centimeter; wherein current passed by individual micro-LEDsof said plurality of micro-LEDs when operated is less than 4 mA; whereinsaid display screen and said backlighting device are disposed withinsaid mirror casing; wherein, with said mirror support attached at theinterior portion of the equipped vehicle, said video display device isoperable to display video images captured by a camera of the equippedvehicle; and wherein, when said video display device is operated todisplay video images, light emitted by said video display device passesthrough said mirror reflective element for viewing of displayed videoimages by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said mirrorreflective element.
 2. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assemblyof claim 1, wherein said flexible circuit element comprises a flexiblepolyimide film.
 3. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 1, wherein said flexible circuit element comprises a flexiblepolyethylene terephthalate film.
 4. The vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of micro-LEDscomprises at least 1,300 micro-LEDs disposed at said flexible circuitelement.
 5. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1,wherein the width dimension of individual micro-LEDs of said pluralityof micro-LEDs is greater than 75 microns, and wherein the lengthdimension of individual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs isgreater than 75 microns.
 6. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 1, wherein said micro-LEDs are disposed at printedsilver traces of said flexible circuit element.
 7. The vehicularinterior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said micro-LEDsare disposed at copper traces of said flexible circuit element.
 8. Thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein thepacking density of micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs at saidflexible circuit element is at least 20 micro-LEDs per squarecentimeter.
 9. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim1, wherein the packing density of micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs at said flexible circuit element is at least 30 micro-LEDsper square centimeter.
 10. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 1, wherein said display screen comprises a diffuser.11. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 10, whereinthe diffuser comprises a plurality of layers of diffuser film, andwherein at least one layer of the plurality of layers of diffuser filmcomprises a phosphor conversion film.
 12. The vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said display screen andsaid backlighting device are at least partially supported at a chassiswithin said mirror casing, and wherein said chassis comprises a rearwall and side walls extending from the rear wall, and wherein saidbacklighting device is disposed at the rear wall of said chassis andsaid display screen is disposed in front of said backlighting device andspaced from said backlighting device.
 13. The vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein said mirror reflectiveelement comprises a single glass substrate having said transflectivemirror reflector disposed at a rear surface of said single glasssubstrate.
 14. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim1, wherein said mirror reflective element comprises an electro-opticmirror reflective element having a front substrate and a rear substratewith an electro-optic medium disposed therebetween, and wherein saidfront substrate has a first surface and a second surface and said rearsubstrate has a third surface and a fourth surface, said second surfaceand said third surface opposing said electro-optic medium, and whereinsaid transflective mirror reflector is disposed at said third surface.15. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 1, whereincurrent passed by individual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDswhen operated is greater than 0.75 mA.
 16. The vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein current passed byindividual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs when operated isgreater than 1 mA and less than 2.5 mA.
 17. The vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein current passed byindividual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs when operated isgreater than 1.25 mA and less than 1.75 mA.
 18. The vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly of claim 1, wherein the interior portion of theequipped vehicle comprises an in-cabin side of a windshield of theequipped vehicle.
 19. A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly,said vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirrorhead pivotable about a mirror support; wherein said mirror support isconfigured to attach at an interior portion of a vehicle equipped withsaid vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly; wherein said mirrorhead comprises a mirror casing and a mirror reflective element having atransflective mirror reflector that at least partially reflects lightincident thereon and at least partially transmits incident lighttherethrough; wherein said mirror reflective element comprises areflective region defined by said transflective mirror reflector that isviewable by a driver of the equipped vehicle viewing said mirrorreflective element; a video display device disposed behind said mirrorreflective element, wherein said video display device comprises adisplay screen that occupies at least 75 percent of said reflectiveregion of said mirror reflective element; wherein said display screen isbacklit by a backlighting device, and wherein said backlighting devicecomprises a plurality of micro-LEDs disposed at a flexible circuitelement; wherein said plurality of micro-LEDs comprises at least 1,300micro-LEDs disposed at said flexible circuit element; wherein saidmicro-LEDs are disposed at electrically conductive traces of saidflexible circuit element; wherein a width dimension of individualmicro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs is greater than 75 micronsand is less than 500 microns, and wherein a length dimension ofindividual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs is greater than 75microns and is less than 500 microns; wherein packing density ofmicro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs at said flexible circuitelement is at least 10 micro-LEDs per square centimeter; wherein currentpassed by individual micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs whenoperated is less than 4 mA; wherein said display screen and saidbacklighting device are disposed within said mirror casing; wherein,with said mirror support attached at the interior portion of theequipped vehicle, said video display device is operable to display videoimages captured by a camera of the equipped vehicle; and wherein, whensaid video display device is operated to display video images, lightemitted by said video display device passes through said mirrorreflective element for viewing of displayed video images by the driverof the equipped vehicle viewing said mirror reflective element.
 20. Thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein saidflexible circuit element comprises a flexible polyimide film.
 21. Thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 19, wherein thepacking density of micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs at saidflexible circuit element is at least 20 micro-LEDs per squarecentimeter.
 22. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim19, wherein the packing density of micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs at said flexible circuit element is at least 30 micro-LEDsper square centimeter.
 23. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 19, wherein said display screen and said backlightingdevice are at least partially supported at a chassis within said mirrorcasing, and wherein said chassis comprises a rear wall and side wallsextending from the rear wall, and wherein said backlighting device isdisposed at the rear wall of said chassis and said display screen isdisposed in front of said backlighting device and spaced from saidbacklighting device.
 24. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assemblyof claim 19, wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehiclecomprises an in-cabin side of a windshield of the equipped vehicle. 25.A vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly, said vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly comprising: a mirror head pivotable about amirror support; wherein said mirror support is configured to attach atan interior portion of a vehicle equipped with said vehicular interiorrearview mirror assembly; wherein said mirror head comprises a mirrorcasing and a mirror reflective element having a transflective mirrorreflector that at least partially reflects light incident thereon and atleast partially transmits incident light therethrough; wherein saidmirror reflective element comprises a reflective region defined by saidtransflective mirror reflector that is viewable by a driver of theequipped vehicle viewing said mirror reflective element; a video displaydevice disposed behind said mirror reflective element, wherein saidvideo display device comprises a display screen that occupies at least75 percent of said reflective region of said mirror reflective element;wherein said display screen is backlit by a backlighting device, andwherein said backlighting device comprises a plurality of micro-LEDsdisposed at a flexible circuit element; wherein said micro-LEDs aredisposed at electrically conductive traces of said flexible circuitelement; wherein packing density of micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs at said flexible circuit element is at least 10 micro-LEDsper square centimeter; wherein current passed by individual micro-LEDsof said plurality of micro-LEDs when operated is greater than 0.75 mAand is less than 4 mA; wherein said display screen and said backlightingdevice are disposed within said mirror casing; wherein said displayscreen comprises a diffuser; wherein, with said mirror support attachedat the interior portion of the equipped vehicle, said video displaydevice is operable to display video images captured by a camera of theequipped vehicle; and wherein, when said video display device isoperated to display video images, light emitted by said video displaydevice passes through said mirror reflective element for viewing ofdisplayed video images by the driver of the equipped vehicle viewingsaid mirror reflective element.
 26. The vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 25, wherein the diffuser comprises a pluralityof layers of diffuser film.
 27. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 26, wherein at least one layer of the plurality oflayers of diffuser film comprises a phosphor conversion film.
 28. Thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein saidflexible circuit element comprises a flexible polyimide film.
 29. Thevehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim 25, wherein thepacking density of micro-LEDs of said plurality of micro-LEDs at saidflexible circuit element is at least 20 micro-LEDs per squarecentimeter.
 30. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly of claim25, wherein the packing density of micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs at said flexible circuit element is at least 30 micro-LEDsper square centimeter.
 31. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 30, wherein a width dimension of individual micro-LEDsof said plurality of micro-LEDs is less than 500 microns, and wherein alength dimension of individual micro-LEDs of said plurality ofmicro-LEDs is less than 500 microns.
 32. The vehicular interior rearviewmirror assembly of claim 25, wherein said display screen and saidbacklighting device are at least partially supported at a chassis withinsaid mirror casing, and wherein said chassis comprises a rear wall andside walls extending from the rear wall, and wherein said backlightingdevice is disposed at the rear wall of said chassis and said displayscreen is disposed in front of said backlighting device and spaced fromsaid backlighting device.
 33. The vehicular interior rearview mirrorassembly of claim 25, wherein current passed by individual micro-LEDs ofsaid plurality of micro-LEDs when operated is greater than 1 mA and lessthan 2.5 mA.
 34. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 25, wherein current passed by individual micro-LEDs of saidplurality of micro-LEDs when operated is greater than 1.25 mA and lessthan 1.75 mA.
 35. The vehicular interior rearview mirror assembly ofclaim 25, wherein the interior portion of the equipped vehicle comprisesan in-cabin side of a windshield of the equipped vehicle.